Bracks denies union contract cover-up

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Victorian Premier Steve Bracks denies his government has
something to hide in its reluctance to release a file on a
demolition contract.

His comments follow a hearing of the Federal Court yesterday at
which the Victorian government admitted it refused to engage a
non-union company on the Morwell Gasworks remediation project.

Yesterday's hearing followed a ruling in the Federal Court last
week that ended a two and a half year legal battle by ordering the
Victorian government to hand tender documents to the Building
Industry Task Force.

But Mr Bracks brushed aside questions today on whether his
government would agree to hand over the disputed file.

"That's really a matter for the state authorities to deal with
the federal authorities on," he told reporters today.

"It's really a matter which will be determined through the court
process."

It is alleged the government unfairly excluded the construction
firm Able Demolitions and Excavations (ADE) from the project
because it used non-union contracts.

A complaint by ADE prompted an investigation by the task force,
which sought access to the tender documentation.

Mr Bracks rejected suggestions his government discriminated
against non-union labour because ADE had eventually been granted
the contract.

Nigel Hadgkiss, head of the Building Industry Task Force, said
the state government's admission that it had breached workplace
laws had more to do with ensuring the government did not have to
hand over documents.

"We are anxious to see these documents and we have been anxious
for two and a half years, and there has been enormous resistance to
our sighting them," he told ABC Radio today.

"We are still anxious to know what is in that file."

Federal Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews also accused
the Bracks government of wanting to hide something.

"The fact that they don't want to hand over documents, one can
only ask what else is revealed in these documents? Who is engaged
in these activities?" he told ABC Radio.

"What pressure was brought by whom against who in the Victorian
government?

"These are all unanswered questions which the Victorian
government is seeking to avoid.

"If it was serious about cleaning up the building and
construction industry, it would have cooperated in the first
place."